“ I have several Hyper-V boxes where windows server backups are failing.

Error message number from event viewer is 2155348001.

If I shutdown or save the guests, the backup works. Host OS is Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 installed. Guests are server 2003 or Windows XP.

So far I have tried deleting all shadow copy snapshots from the host as well as making sure the guests have enough free space.

I have deleted and re-created the backup several times and tried several backup devices ranging from USB to iSCSI to adding a second internal drive array. Guests are also running the newest version of the guest additions.

I have one server where I was able to figure out which guest the backup does not like. If I pause or shutdown that one guest, the backup works with the other guest still running. At think the problem is somewhere in Hyper-V, but I am not sure where to look next.”

Cause

it was due to the timeout for VSS creation. Default is 10 min.

Resolution

This article shows how to set it to something else. Increasing the timeout fixed the backup. On my server creating the snapshots took 10min 30 seconds.

Like this:

It’s a big week for Microsoft Data Protection Manager 2010 … even though it’s a month or more away from general availability. At the Microsoft Management Summit this week, DPM 2010 was released to manufacturing, and i365 and Iron Mountain both made DPM 2010-related announcements that extend its capabilities.

Microsoft continues to make strides since joining the disk-based backup and recovery space with DPM 2006, adding features that have increased its appeal to Microsoft-centric buyers. Among other things, DPM 2010 promises to:

Provide a single agent for all Microsoft workloads, including support for Windows 7, MOSS 2010, Exchange 2010, and SAP running on a SQL server.

Support Hyper-V on Windows 2008 r2, including support for LiveMigration scenarios with cluster-shared volumes, recovery of .VHDs to an alternate host, and VM-level backup with either VM-level or file-level recovery.

Protect connected or disconnected Windows clients with continuous backup (backup is performed locally until a connection/synchronization is possible), allowing data to be recovered locally and enabling end-user self-service restore.

Replicate a DPM server off site to third-party cloud providers, such as Iron Mountain or i365.

Iron Mountain and Microsoft previously teamed up to deliver a cloud storage option for DPM 2007 customers over a year ago, allowing users to extend their data protection strategies with cloud-based copies for DR. This week, Iron Mountain announced support for DPM 2010 and enhancements to Iron Mountain CloudRecovery—beefing up its scalability, streamlining DPM-CloudRecovery integration, and altering its licensing/pricing model to provide greater cost efficiency and predictability to subscribers.

i365 is partnering with Microsoft in a slightly different way. i365 is delivering an all-in-one hardware-software-cloud solution: Evault for System Center Data Protection Manager (EDPM). The Dell server ships with both Microsoft DPM and Evault backup software accessed via a single user interface and with a unified policy engine. Why both? Since DPM is limited to protecting Microsoft’s operating system, hypervisor, and applications, EDPM allows Microsoft to address a wider audience—including Linux, UNIX, NetWare, IBM i, VMware, and Oracle users. Optionally, the EDPM storage can be replicated to the i365 cloud—creating a more economically-feasible DR copy for mid-market and small enterprise companies.

Missing from Microsoft’s DPM 2010 strategy is any statement that the company will leverage its own cloud service capabilities in Windows Azure. Will DPM be offered as software as a service (SaaS)? Will Windows Azure cloud storage be used for DPM 2010 DR copies? Stay tuned.

KB975354 A Hyper-V rollup package dealing with parallel backups on same cluster shared volumes and VM’s hosted by different servers; Avoiding data truncation as a result of simultaneous backup of VM from host and from within virtual machine; properly restoring a VM with snapshots to another location

KB975921 You may be unable to perform certain disk-related operations after an exception when a hardware provider tries to create a snapshot in Windows Server 2008 R2 or Win 7.

Hyper-V virtual machine files, such as the configuration.xml file or .vhd files, are saved on a volume in Windows Server 2008.

This volume is mounted on a failover cluster by using a volume GUID.

This volume does not have a drive letter or a mount point assigned.

You try to back up these virtual machine files by using a backup application, such as System Center Data Protection Manager 2007.

In this scenario, the backup operations fail and the virtual machine files cannot be backed up.

This problem occurs because the file path is misreported in the writer metadata that is sent to the backup applications by the Hyper-V Management service (Vmms.exe). Therefore, backup applications cannot recognize the volume, and the backup operations fail.

DPM 2007 enables lossless recovery of Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint servers without the need for constant replication or synchronization by seamlessly integrating a point in time database restore with the existing application logs.

Host Based Virtual Server Backups

DPM 2007 includes support for host based backup of Windows Virtual Server guests. Using a single host based DPM agent to provide application consistent backups of any and all guests residing on a host. DPM can protect any operating system or application via this mechanism as long as they are running on a Windows host server.

Recover files in minutes instead of hours

A typical file recovery from tape takes hours and can be costly. The typical medium data center may have 10 to 20 or more recoveries per month. DPM enables the same recoveries in minutes, saving money for the business and time for IT administrators. Additionally, faster recovery keeps information workers productive because they spend less downtime waiting for their files to be recovered.

Eliminate the backup window of your production servers

Massive growth in storage capabilities has increased the time needed to back up file servers. At the same time, businesses face the requirement for 24×7 uptime and the fact that there is no good time to perform a backup. Because DPM moves only the byte-level changes of the file servers it backs up, it effectively eliminates the downtime required to back up your file servers. Customers never have to plan for such “backup windows” again.

DPM 2007 features seamless integration between disk and tape media, including an intelligent UI that abstracts the operator from the need to separately manage disk and tape media, an integrated restore experience for both disk and tape, and rich media management functionality.

Advanced Data De-Duplication Technology

Patented filter technology reduces the volume of full backups by as much as 90 percent in typical organizations, saving disk space and reducing full backup time from hours to minutes. VSS point in time snapshots further reduce the disk volume required, while Express full backup images increase number of available restore points which can be captured.

Remove tapes from branch offices and centralize backups at the data center

Today, the primary way to protect remote servers is for branch office staff to back up data to expensive removable media, such as data tape cartridges, and then manually transport the media to an offsite storage facility. Tape restores within this configuration can be expensive and slow. DPM deploys agents on the remote file servers to send the data back to the central data center where it can be more securely backed up by one IT administrator.

Use advanced functionality at low cost

Because DPM is part of the Windows Server System, it contains tools that are already in your server software, such as Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Windows Explorer. IT administrators are already familiar with these tools, which reduces training costs. Along with the comprehensive report functionality included with the product, DPM can also upload all of its reports and alerts to the Microsoft Operations Manager console.

About Zeros & Ones

Hi, I’m Mohamed Fawzi and I am working as Senior Infrastructure System Engineer for LINK development company. This blog covers Virtualization technology and Cloud Computing.
*All the usual disclaimers are applied :)
The information in this weblog is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. This weblog does not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of my employer. It is solely my opinion.